Spurs legend Manu Ginobili is about to join basketball heroes in the Hall of Fame.
As reported Thursday by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Argentinan native is set to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
San Antonio Spurs icon Manu Ginobili will be a first-ballot induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022, sources tell The Athletic, Stadium.
San Antonio Spurs icon Manu Ginobili will be a first-ballot induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame @Hoophall Class of 2022, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2022
Manu’s journey to greatness wasn’t a typical one. He didn’t impress people right away and had to work to win over the hearts of the public. In fact, not even Tim Duncan was particularly happy when the Spurs drafted him in 1999.
“I got that call from Pop. Every year I watched the draft. I’d sit at home and I’d tell everybody all day long, ‘I’m not watching the draft, I’m not gonna do this,’” Duncan said. “I sit at home, I watch the draft and we pick people that I’ve never heard of. Sitting there … Emanuel Gee-no-bee-lee (audience laughs).
“Who did we just pick?
“Oh yeah, he’s gonna be great, he’s this, he’s that.”
“Okay Pop, whatever.”
Back then, Ginobili was unknown. But that would change.
While he was never the best player on his team, he played his role perfectly as a sixth man and scorer off the bench for a dynasty that lasted nearly two decades.
After making the All-Rookie team in 2003, Manu went on become a core member of the Spurs organization. Over his 16-year career, all in San Antonio, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game on 44.7% shooting.
He retired in 2018 as a 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA player, 4x Champion, and 1x Sixth Man of the Year.
